The Nest Bouldering

The Nest encompasses a set of boulders to the south of River Road in Patapsco Valley State Park in the area of Sykesville, Maryland.

There are several bouldering outcrops all within a short walk from the parking area, which host a small collection of boulder problems. The vast majority of climbing done in this area is bouldering and can be protected with one or two pads and a spotter, however some may be more comfortable with a top-roping setup as the taller portions of the Nest B and C boulders exceed 20 feet. Similar to the nearby Jam, Levitation, and Dragon Scale boulders, this rock is good quality Wissahickon Formation Boulder Gneiss. This area tends to stay wet longer than other surrounding areas since all of the boulders face west-northwest. 

Home to some area classics, including Excalibur V5, Dan's Right V3, and Crescent Moons V3. There has been a deal of development here in the past from locals including John Kelbel, Robin Close, and John Brunson. There are videos online of this area (also called the 'River Road Boulders') that depict more problems than I have listed.

This area is called the nest because a buzzard nests under the overhang at the Nest C outcrop and should be avoided in the warmer months as to not disturb the roost.